"Wilko workers to strike over 'brutal' weekend rota", 4 September 2019

Some 1,800 Wilko workers have agreed to walk out in protest over a "brutal" new weekend rota system. GMB Union said members will go on strike at the chain's two distribution centres at Worksop, Nottinghamshire, and Magor, Monmouthshire.

 Nicola Savage, from the union, said some workers were now working every weekend when previously it had been about one in three.One said working more weekends had made her "feel like a zombie".

Wilko said the new requirements were "within existing contracts".

 A spokesman for Wilko said the firm shared workers' frustrations and is trying to reduce the number of weekends staff will work by recruiting more people. He said it would also give 250 team members an additional weekend off, but the union said this had not yet made an impact. The spokesman added: "The reality is that our customers expect to shop with us seven days a week and we must respond to meet our customers' needs..."